


interlude

by oogenesis



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 14:59:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10516092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oogenesis/pseuds/oogenesis
Summary: For the prompt "things you said when you were crying" on tumblr.





	

**Author's Note:**

> man normally i wouldn't post something so short and shitty on here, but there's so little fic for these two i felt like i had to

“Ryouga…”

Ryouga’s head jerks up at Kyouji, who is poking his head through the doorway as gently as he can. “Ryouga, are you all right?”

Ryouga who is hunched over the sink, his knuckles gripping the edge of it, says, “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” Kyouji comes over and stands beside him, cautiously. Ryouga stares into the mirror and pointedly ignores him.

“You came in second place again.”

Ryouga grunts. “So?”

“You always come in second place. You’re brilliant enough not to -”

“Shut up, all right?”

Kyouji shuts up. But he doesn’t like seeing Ryouga hunched over like that, looking immeasurably tired; a tiredness that had seeped into his words just now. 

And, and -

“We could be great together,” he says quietly. “You and I, we could win so many tournaments together - we could be a beacon -”

“Stop,” says Ryouga, and his fingers clench on the edge of the sink. “Stop. Don’t - don’t say that.”

Is he - is he starting to cry?

“I gave that up,” he says, and wipes furiously at his eyes. “And I did that for your sake, all right, so don’t - don’t come talking to me about that kind of thing. I gave it up.”

“You -” Kyouji doesn’t know how to process this, doesn’t know what to make of this, and Ryouga is crying. He feels the sudden urge to do something about that - snatches a sheet from the paper towel dispenser and holds it out to Ryouga. Ryouga ignores it. Kyouji’s hand drops awkwardly to his side. “You… for my sake?”  
“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

Kyouji is lost; the vague pieces of a picture forming in his mind, but not quite coming together. He remains silent. He wants to reach out and - and hug Ryouga, or something -

At long last Ryouga turns to him. His eyes are very tired, but there is something deeply tender within them. “You’re the beacon, Kyouji,” he says, almost gently. “Not me. Don’t try to push me into the spotlight when I’ve decided to stay out, all right?”

“All right,” says Kyouji, still bewildered, but he thinks he understands. And, and, this understanding -

As Ryouga straightens up and turns to leave, Kyouji catches him by the elbow. Wants to do something more, wants to hold him - “Ryouga -” he begins, but Ryouga shakes him off.

“It’s none of your business. I’m fine.”

\- and Kyouji has no choice but to let him go.

**Author's Note:**

> as always comments are highly appreciated.


End file.
